DIEGO CORTES & RAFA MARTÍN
Diego Cortés, an outstanding guitarist who never stops exploring new paths, such as the one he will present to us accompanied by the guitarist from Blanes, Rafa Martín. Over the years, Diego has shared the stage and performed with internationally renowned musical figures from a wide range of styles, including Carlos Santana, Larry Coryell, Celia Cruz, Ramones, Philip Catherine, Mike Oldfield, and especially with the master Paco de Lucía. Rafa Martín studied at the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu in Barcelona, where he obtained the title of Senior Guitar Professor. He has furthered his studies with masters of the caliber of Leo Brouwer, David Russell, and Álvaro Pierri.
By chance, the paths of Rafa Martín and Diego Cortés crossed one day, and from Diego’s desire to experiment and Rafa’s enthusiasm, this very special duo was born—one we will have the pleasure of hearing.
JUDIT NEDDERMANN
“Brota” is the name that Judit Neddermann has given to her new tour and the stage she is beginning.
A new cycle opens in which we will be able to hear her performing her usual repertoire, as well as premiering unreleased songs that are not yet part of any album, such as the song “Llibert,” a single dedicated to her grandfather that will be released in the spring.
With an artistic stage design featuring colored glass created by her siblings Júlia and Enric Neddermann, the performance presents a warm, natural, and simple atmosphere that seeks poetry and depth. The music heard in “Brota” will be both new and old, but all sung from the present—a present full of hope and strengthened by the path Judit has built over the years; a path supported by a loyal, attentive, and sensitive audience.
The styling has been designed and embroidered by designer and pattern maker Beatriz Encabo of Encabo Studio.
The photographs are by Sílvia Poch and transport us to the forests of Vilassar, so close to where most of the songs in her discography are born.
MANEL FORTIÀ LIBÉRICA TRIO
Libérica Trio is the new format of Libérica, a project led by double bassist and composer Manel Fortià that reinterprets the traditional music of the Iberian Peninsula through a contemporary and open-minded perspective. The trio brings together the captivating voice of Pere Martínez, the sensitive and creative guitar playing of Frederico Vannini, and Fortià’s double bass and arrangements, creating an intimate and flexible proposal where Iberian folk music, flamenco, and jazz come together.
The project presents ALÉ – Iberian Chants, Libérica’s second album, a work that delves deeper into the connections between the traditional music of the north and south of the Peninsula. With a more mature sound, the repertoire journeys through soundscapes such as malagueñas, granaínas, threshing songs, and lullabies, blending them with the language of jazz and bringing them into the present day.
Following the success of their first album and performances at renowned international venues, Libérica Trio consolidates a unique sound that combines tradition and modernity, emotion and freedom, in a musical journey that breathes the spirit of the Mediterranean.
DUO DEL MAR
The duo Duo de Mar is the wonderful musical union between two female figures from today’s scene: the young flamenco guitarist Laura Calderón, one of the most promising new voices in instrumental flamenco, and the classical guitarist Ekaterina Zaytseva, renowned for her exquisite sensitivity and technical mastery, established as one of the great performers of her generation.
Through works by Isaac Albéniz, Manuel de Falla, Sabicas, as well as original compositions by Laura Calderón, the duo explores the expressive richness of the Spanish guitar in all its dimensions. Pieces that evoke modernist Spain, flamenco palos such as the bulería or the farruca, and original creations that cross stylistic boundaries with naturalness and strength.
Duo del Mar combines the timbral subtlety of the classical guitar with the passionate, rhythmic character of the most authentic flamenco, creating an immersive, contemporary, and deeply feminine musical experience.
PEDRO RINCÓN
Pedro Rincón Carrasco, 26, is a flamenco guitarist born in Catalonia who began his career at the age of nine. He has specialized both in solo performance and in accompanying cante (flamenco singing). He earned a Higher Degree in Flamenco Guitar at the Conservtori del Liceu, supported by a scholarship from the Ferrer-Salat Foundation. He has performed at numerous events in a variety of formats, ranging from solo performances to ensembles with percussion and singing. His repertoire combines his own compositions with pieces by great figures of flamenco. With his talent and sensitivity, he will offer us a wonderful tribute to Paco de Lucía.
SAM BALLESTER
Sam Ballester began his musical journey in the Alt Empordà region, in Girona. He later moved to Granada, where he combined studies in flamenco, classical, and jazz guitar, as well as music theory, harmony, and improvisation, receiving lessons from masters such as Emilio Maya, Pepe Armilla, and David Defries.
He developed his career as a flamenco guitarist in the Cap de Gata area (Almería), taking part in various groups and duos such as Ivy’enco and tiznao Flamenc, and collaborating with different artists who helped him incorporate elements from other musical styles.
He has released two works: “Two Nights in Cap de Gata” (guitar and saxophone) and “Munich” (tiznao flamenc), as well as composing the soundtrack for a documentary (“El camp dels ninots”).
He is part of the Col·lectiu Colombine, with two premiered works: “El tresor de Colombine,” an adaptation of a story for primary school audiences, and “Somnis de Carmen de Burgos,” a flamenco theatre piece directed by the dancer and choreographer Candi Román.
TRIO LES BAULES
Trio Les Baules – Iberian Airs
Trio Les Baules is made up of soprano Marta Casals, cellist Laia Domenech, and guitarist Ljubica Bukvic. The trio reinterprets songs from the traditional repertoire, generally of unknown origin, that have reached us through oral transmission. These are songs meant to be sung and danced.
The program Iberian Airs is a collection of popular songs from the Iberian Peninsula, adapted by Catalan composers for Trio Les Baules.
TRIO TINTA NEGRA
Trio Tinta Negra is a chamber music ensemble made up of guitar, cello, and bandoneon, exploring an intense and expressive sound world full of contrasts and sensitivity. The dialogue between plucked and bowed strings, enhanced by the deep voice of the bandoneon, gives rise to an emotional and original artistic proposal.
The trio is formed by Nathalie Mengual (guitar), François Ragot (cello), and Laurent Cligny (bandoneon). Mengual and Ragot also perform together as the Duo Arpegi, with which they have developed a joint career centered on a repertoire that combines passion, lyricism, and musical complicity. Their first album, Arpeggiata, released by the label Nostrum Duo, is a fine reflection of this.
François Ragot, trained at the Perpignan Conservatory and the Royal College of Music in London, is the principal cellist of the GIOrquestra, artistic director of Mare Nostrum Musicae, and director of the Regional Symphony Orchestra of Canet-en-Roussillon. He maintains an active international career as both performer and educator.
Nathalie Mengual, trained at the conservatories of Perpignan and Montpellier, is a guitar and chamber music teacher, with studies in baroque guitar, theorbo, and instrumental pedagogy.
With the addition of Laurent Cligny’s bandoneon, Trio Tinta Negra expands its sonic horizon and offers a rich, profound, and deeply emotional musical experience.
ROGER TAPIAS
Roger Tapias, born in Barcelona, pursued his musical studies at the Conservatori Superior Municipal de Música de Barcelona with the teacher Joan Furió, where he obtained a degree as a Senior Guitar Professor. He furthered his studies with masters such as David Russell, Manuel Barrueco, José Tomás, Stefano Grondona, Alex Garrobé, and Manel González, but especially with Álvaro Pierri, with whom he completed a postgraduate degree at the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Wien in Vienna. He has performed as a soloist, as well as with chamber groups and orchestras, in Spain, across Europe, and in the United States. Throughout his career, he has received several awards in national and international competitions and has made recordings for radio and television.
In 2003, he was selected by the Instituto de la Juventud to participate in the INJUVE 2003 series, where he performed in various classical and contemporary music circuits throughout Spain, including appearances at the Festival Internacional de Música de Segovia and concerts at the Teatro Conde Duque.
In 2004, he received a scholarship from the Sociedad de Artistas Intérpretes o Ejecutantes de España to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in the United States. He currently combines his concert career with teaching; Roger Tapias is a guitar professor at the Conservatori de Música Isaac Albéniz of the Diputació de Girona.
MARCEL TORRES
Marcel Torres is a young guitar talent. Born in Girona, he pursued his musical studies at the Escola Superior de Música de Barcelona and, guided by the advice of the teacher Àlex Garrobé, specialized in the performance of classical and, above all, contemporary music.
A strong interest in all musical styles has led him to shape an eclectic artistic profile. He draws inspiration from the worlds of jazz, modern music, electronic music, and improvisation, with the support of musicians such as Dani Pérez and Agustí Fernández.
In 2018, he took part in collective projects such as the opera Brundibár at the Teatre Lliure with the Orquestra Barcelona 216, a conducted improvisation concert with the Esmuc Ensemble at L’Auditori, and the concert series “Silenci, fem música” at the Museu de la Música de Barcelona.
DUO ZYRYAB
Dúo Zyryab is a flamenco guitar ensemble formed by guitarists Pedro Rincón and Javier Moreno, two outstanding performers on today’s scene who combine virtuosity, sensitivity, and respect for flamenco tradition with a contemporary perspective.
Pedro Rincón, a flamenco guitarist from Barcelona, began his studies at the age of 8, influenced by his family environment. He trained at various schools in the Baix Llobregat with teachers such as Juan Manuel Ávila and Javier Gavara, and later at the Fundació Conservatori Liceu under the guidance of Manuel Granados and Pedro Javier González. In 2022, he obtained a degree in flamenco guitar, also becoming the first scholarship recipient in this specialty from the Fundació de Música Ferrer-Salat. In 2023, he released his first solo album, Desplante y Solera (Solera Flamenca Records), which launched him onto professional stages, with notable performances at the Auditori de Cornellà, Atrium Viladecans, and the Monestir de Sant Llorenç de Guardiola de Berguedà.
In this context, Dúo Zyryab was formed together with the virtuoso guitarist Javier Moreno, with whom he has developed an original repertoire for two guitars that blends tradition and innovation. The ensemble has performed extensively, establishing itself as an emerging and high-quality proposal within the flamenco guitar scene.
IZAN RUBIO
Izan Rubio is a distinguished Catalan guitarist who has received several awards at international music competitions such as the Certamen Miquel Llobet in Barcelona, the Corelli-Savarez Chamber Music Competition in Austria, the Valle i Laghi Guitar Competition and Festival in Italy, and the Festival Internacional de Guitarra Ciutat d'Elx, among others.
He has performed at emblematic venues across Catalonia and has been featured by renowned festivals and institutions, both as a soloist and as a founding member of the Salzburg Guitar Trio. He has also been invited to media outlets such as Catalunya Ràdio, Canal 33, and Xarxa de Comunicació Local, appearing on programs such as Assaig General, Notes de Clàssica, La Sonora, and Ben Trobats.
He currently combines his concert activity with teaching and is a member of the faculty at the Escola de Música and Conservatori de Música de Sabadell.
TOM HODGKINSON
Tom Hodgkinson, a 21-year-old classical guitarist from Essex, England, has an impressive musical trajectory and a growing presence in the international guitar community.
In September 2023, Tom moved to Graz, Austria, to continue his studies with Paolo Pegoraro at the prestigious Kunstuniversität Graz. During his development as a musician, Tom caught the attention of legendary guitarist John Williams, who currently mentors him. Under the guidance of both Williams and Pegoraro, Tom continues to refine his artistic expression.
He regularly gives recitals across the United Kingdom and Europe, having performed in Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Spain, and England. He has served as director of the National Youth Guitar Ensemble and has performed alongside numerous high-level ensembles. He toured Spain and Germany with the National Youth Guitar Ensemble UK and performed with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, appearing at major venues such as the Bridgewater Hall and the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.